For the first time since 2009, the number of young homeless people has fallen in Denmark.
Although the exact decline is not revealed, a study by VIVE attributes a general decline in homelessness to a decline in the number of 18- to 24-year-olds in urban areas.
In 2019, the number of homeless people was 6,431. In 2022, the number is now 5,789, which corresponds to a decrease of almost 10 percent in the three-year period.
The positive result has been praised by Astrid Krag, Minister of Social Affairs and the Elderly. “Everyone deserves a home where they feel safe, and I am very happy now that the number of homeless citizens is decreasing,” she said.
A decline in major cities
In larger cities, such as Frederiksberg and Aarhus Municipalities, there have been decreases of 52 and 32 percent respectively.
The decrease may be due to the focus on finding cheaper housing. Last year, over one billion kroner was set aside for 4,050 affordable homes for homeless citizens. Recently, the government has also helped 2,000 homeless citizens by setting them up in public housing.
However, there are still problems with the older age groups: especially those over 60.
“The positive result does not mean that we have reached our goal, as there is still an increase in those over 60 who are homeless. We have established a National Partnership against Homelessness, which will tackle homelessness over the next few years,” said Krag.